I don’t know about you, but it feels like Sony releases a new pair of WH-1000X headphones as reliably as my local coffee shop gets my name wrong. And yet… I keep buying them.
The XM3s basically lived on my head during lockdown, and now the XM5s are my go-to for long travel days. Sony just knows how to give the people what they want.
It’s no surprise that this year’s WH-1000XM6 landed with a lot of hype, with Sony promising better noise cancellation, improved comfort, and a few smart upgrades under the hood. But are these changes just a light polish on an already-great product, or have they genuinely built the best Sony headphones yet?
Let’s pop the box, put them on, and find out.
Sony XM6 First Impressions and Design Tweaks
If you’ve seen the XM5, the XM6 will look instantly familiar. Sony hasn’t exactly reinvented the wheel here. But there are subtle changes worth noting. The headband feels slightly firmer, with just enough extra padding to make a difference on long-haul flights. The ear cups now swivel a touch more freely, which weirdly makes getting them into the case less of a wrestling match.
Speaking of the case, it’s still a bit chunky, but the new fabric feels more premium and (dare I say?) less like something that will scuff the second it touches your backpack. The magnetic clasp is also SUCH a good design feature. I wish others did the same. Weight-wise, we’re talking grams of difference from the XM5, but every gram counts when you’ve got these clamped to your head for a full workday.
The XM6’s still nail the understated “I’m serious about my music but not trying to flex” look, and that’s a design choice I’ll always appreciate.
Sound Quality: Sony’s Signature with a Twist
Sony has a very particular sound signature, warm, rich, and bass-friendly, and the XM6 doesn’t stray far from that winning recipe. Straight out of the box, you get that full-bodied low end that makes hip-hop, EDM, and cinematic soundtracks feel alive, but it’s not the bloated bass you might get from cheaper “bass boost” headphones. It’s controlled, it’s deep, and it doesn’t trample over the mids.
Vocals sound clear and present, especially once you dive into Sony’s Sound Connect app and nudge the EQ to taste. I found myself pulling the treble up ever so slightly for more sparkle on acoustic tracks and jazz, but that’s a personal preference.
Where things get interesting is in the detail retrieval. Sony claims a new driver material and revised tuning bring more texture to the mids, and… they’re not wrong. Guitar strings, snare hits, even the subtle reverb in live recordings, they all come through just a little more vividly than on the XM5. It isn’t night-and-day, but you may notice after a week or so of listening.
Compared to rivals, Bose still has the edge on pure midrange clarity, but Sony wins if you want that enveloping, “wrapped in sound” experience. And AirPods Max? Still great, but you’ll need to pay Apple’s luxury tax for sound that isn’t meaningfully better.
Noise Cancellation & Ambient Mode
Sony’s noise cancellation was already among the best in the business with the XM5, but the XM6 takes it a notch further, particularly in the low and mid frequencies.
Where I noticed the biggest leap was on flights. The XM6 seems to handle that low “engine drone” even better than its predecessor, letting you listen at lower volumes without losing detail. Sony says this is thanks to upgraded mics and a new noise-cancelling processor, and for once, the marketing hype seems backed by real-world results.
Ambient mode also feels more natural this time. On the XM5, it was already good, but voices could sometimes sound slightly robotic. The XM6 cleans this up, making it easier to hold a conversation without feeling like you’re listening through a PA system. Add in Sony’s adaptive sound control (which automatically tweaks NC and ambient levels based on your location or activity) and it’s one of the best transparency modes you’ll find.
Comfort & Build Quality
Sony clearly didn’t want to mess too much with a good thing. The XM6 keeps the sleek, minimalist look of the XM5, but with a few welcome tweaks. The headband padding feels denser and more supportive, and the earcups have a slightly softer memory foam that makes them more comfortable for long listening sessions.
Weight is almost identical to the XM5, so you’re not dealing with the neck strain that can creep in with heavier headphones like the AirPods Max. Clamping force is just right, enough to keep the headphones secure without giving you that “head in a vice” sensation.
The materials still lean toward the premium plastic Sony has favored for years, which keeps them light but means you don’t get the cold, solid feel of metal builds like those from Bowers & Wilkins. On the upside, that plastic is sturdy, doesn’t creak, and holds up well to daily use. The hinges and adjustments are smooth, and everything feels reassuringly tight without being stiff.
Sony also made a subtle improvement to the travel case. It’s a little more compact and has a smarter internal layout for cables and adapters. A small touch, but one frequent travelers will appreciate.
Battery Life & Charging
If you’re the kind of person who forgets to charge their headphones until the dreaded low-battery chime kicks in, the XM6 will be your best friend. Sony claims up to 40 hours of playback with noise cancellation on, and in my testing, that’s not far off, as I consistently got 37–39 hours before needing to plug in.
Turn NC off, and you can stretch that to around 50 hours, which is absurd for a pair of flagship ANC cans. That’s basically “charge them once a week and forget about it” territory.
Fast charging is here too; just 3 minutes of juice gets you about an hour of listening. Perfect for those “I need to leave in 5 minutes and my headphones are dead” mornings. USB-C charging is standard, and unlike some rivals (looking at you, AirPods Max), you can still listen via a wired connection while charging.
Smart Features & App Experience
Sony’s Sound Connect app is still one of the best companion apps in the game, powerful without being overwhelming. You get granular control over the noise cancellation, EQ presets, and even the degree of ambient sound you let through.
The XM6 keeps Adaptive Sound Control, which uses your phone’s GPS and sensors to automatically switch between NC and ambient modes based on where you are (commuting, working, walking, etc). In practice, it’s mostly accurate, though it can sometimes lag when you switch environments quickly.
Multipoint Bluetooth has also been refined. Connecting to two devices simultaneously is faster, and switching between them feels smoother. No more awkward seconds of silence when you pause music on your laptop and try to answer a call on your phone.
Sony’s Speak-to-Chat is still here. Start talking, and the headphones automatically pause your music and let ambient sound in. It’s clever, but I still find myself disabling it because it can be triggered by a cough, a laugh, or singing along to a track (don’t judge).
There’s also full support for LDAC for high-resolution audio streaming, though you’ll need a compatible device to take advantage of it. And for the gamers out there, latency over Bluetooth is impressively low, but not quite at the level of dedicated low-latency modes you’d get on some gaming headsets.
Final Verdict: Are the XM6 Headphones Sony’s Best Headphones Yet?
The Sony WH-1000XM6 isn’t a radical redesign. And honestly, it doesn’t need to be. Sony has taken what was already one of the best ANC headphones on the market and polished almost every aspect: better tuning, improved ANC, longer battery life, and a more comfortable fit.
If you own the XM5, this isn’t an urgent upgrade unless you really want the sound refinements and extra stamina. But if you’re coming from anything older (or from another brand entirely), the XM6 is an easy recommendation.
